Torenia plant named ‘Dancat911’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Torenia  plant named ‘Dancat911’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading to cascading, and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; shiny dark-green colored foliage; early, freely and continuous flowering habit; light blue purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Torenia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Dancat911’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Toreniaplant, botanically known as Torenia hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name Dancat911.

The new Torenia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of theTorenia hybrida cultivar Dantopur, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.13,723. The new Torenia was discovered and selected by the Inventor inFebruary, 2002 in a controlled environment in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings at MoshavMishmar Hashiva, Israel since April, 2002, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Torenia are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Dancat911 have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light level without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dancat911’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Dancat911’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofTorenia:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading to cascading, and uniformly        mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching and vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Shiny dark-green colored foliage.    -   4. Early, freely and continuous flowering habit.    -   5. Light blue purple-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Torenia can be compared to plants of the parent, thecultivar Dantopur. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in MoshavMishmar Hashiva, Israel, plants of the new Torenia differed from plantsof the cultivar Dantopur in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Torenia were bushier than plants of the        cultivar Dantopur.    -   2. Plants of the new Torenia had smaller flowers than plants of        the cultivar Dantopur.

Plants of the new Torenia can be compared to plants of the cultivarDantopinkmn, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,011. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel, plants of thenew Torenia differed from plants of the cultivar Dantopinkmn in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Torenia were bushier than plants of the        cultivar Dantopinkmn.    -   2. Plants of the new Torenia and the cultivar Dantopinkmn        differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Dantopinkmn        had pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Torenia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view ofa typical plant of ‘Dancat911’.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Dancat911’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the winter with day temperaturesranging from 18° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranging from 13° C.to 21° C. Plants were grown in 15-cm containers and were about fourmonths old when the photographs and description were taken. Colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Torenia hybrida cultivar Dancat911.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Torenia    hybrida cultivar Dantopur, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,723.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at 24° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 18 to 25 days            at 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 25 to 30 days            at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading to cascading,            and mounded plant habit; broadly inverted triangle; vigorous            growth habit. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth            habit.        -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 48.5 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching            habit, about six primary lateral branches each with numerous            secondary lateral branches. Length: About 38 cm. Diameter:            About 3 cm. Internode length: About 6.5 cm. Strength:            Strong, but cascading. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            145A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 5 cm. Width: About 3.7 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Broadly            acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate;            arcuate. Color: Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: 147A; venation, 147B; shiny. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: 147B; venation, 147C.            Petiole length: About 1.2 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm.            Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely            pubescent. Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces: 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single flowers with bilabiate corolla and            tubular calyx; flowers face mostly outward. Freely flowering            habit with about 42 flower buds and open flowers per lateral            branch.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowers begin flowering about four            to six weeks after planting and flower continuously under            greenhouse conditions. Flowers not persistent.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven            days on the plant.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Obovate to elongate. Color: 144A.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.5 cm by 2.8 cm. Depth: About 2.8            cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base. Lobe length, upper and            lower petals: About 1.2 cm. Lobe length, lateral petals:            About 8 mm. Lobe width, upper petal: About 1.8 cm. Lobe            width, lateral petals: About 1.9 cm. Lobe width, lower            petal: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Oval. Apex: Rounded. Margin,            upper petal: Sinuate. Margin, lateral and lower petals:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Color: Developing petals, upper surface: Upper            petal: 92D. Lateral petals: 93A. Lower petal: 89B.            Developing, lower surface: Upper petal: 92D. Lateral petals:            93B. Lower petal: 92B. Fully expanded petals, upper surface:            Upper petal: 92C; towards the margin, 89B. Lateral petals:            92C; towards the margins, 93A. Lower petal: 92C; towards the            margin, 93C; spot, 12A. Fully expanded petals, lower            surface: Upper petal: 92C; towards the margin, 92A. Lateral            petals: 93B. Lower petal: 92D; towards the margin, 92B.            Throat: 92C. Tube: 92B to 92C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, fused; tubular bi-lobed            calyx. Calyx length: About 1.7 mm. Calyx diameter: About            9 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature            and mature, upper surface: 144B. Color, immature and mature,            lower surface: 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: About 35° to 45° from stem            axis. Color: 46C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            four. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 3 mm by 1 mm.            Anther color: 90A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            155A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Typically one. Pistil            length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 2 cm. Style color:            155D. Stigma shape: Anvil-shaped, flattened. Stigma color:            155D. Ovary color: 144A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Torenia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Torenia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Torenia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures from 5° C. to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Torenia plant named ‘Dancat911’, asillustrated and described.